May 4-8 Update

May 4-8 Update

With the tulips in full bloom in
the inner courtyard at NISS, we are reminded of growth and renewal. We have all
had to adjust, grow and renew in our new circumstances. We appreciate all the
work you are doing. It has been trying, but there are glimpses of hope and
positives all around us. Impressive and innovative work samples are coming in
from students daily. If you have stories or pictures that you would like to
showcase in a future newsletter, please email them to niss. niss@sd85.bc.ca

Again, we would like to thank all
of you for the work you continue to do. The results are paying off. In
check-ins this week with a variety of students, they are on track. Yes, there
are some who are finding this new learning reality difficult and we are all working
to support them. If students are still needing
any extra academic supports, social and emotional supports or food security,
please let us know, so that we can offer supports to the best of our
ability. We will be offering part-time onsite
supports for grads who need extra help in their courses in three locations:
NISS, ABE and AJ Elliott. Staff are connecting with graduating students to book
appointments for these sessions. We will be opening up NISS part-time in the
coming weeks to offer supports to at-risk, the most vulnerable and to others
with specific needs. No specific date for this has been set yet, as we will be
working on what this will look like in the next couple of weeks.

According to the Minister of
Education, BC is looking at bringing back onsite education in 5 steps. These
steps will roll out in consultation with the Public Health Ministry. The 5
steps are outlined here:

Step 5: Students are not in
schools. Students have continuity of learning from online and/or packages that
are sent home.

Step 4: Some onsite and
some in-class learning. This is meant for students who are from essential
health worker families, who are most vulnerable and at-risk, and who are
struggling to be on track for graduation.

Step 1 (and maybe 2) will not
occur before September. These steps of course will be implemented with health
and safety measures put in place. Step 4 may begin after the May long weekend.
We are waiting for details on specific dates. Parents will have a choice to send
students to onsite learning part-time or to keep students at home. Therefore, we
will be having to survey students in the coming weeks to see who wants/needs to
come in and who wants to stay home until the end of June.

There are lots of questions still
for which the district is awaiting answers and talks are happening with
WorkSafeBC before anything is set in stone for SD 85.

Do know that the district is
moving forward with caution, advice from Public Health and the Ministry of
Education, and is taking time to monitor situations and trends worldwide.

In a final note, here is a
helpful link that Ms. Mackenzie created for students who are wanting to know if
they are missing any work in Google Classroom.